Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-12-09
WOOD RIVER.
THE MOST IMPORTANT MINING
DISTRICT IN THE NORTHWEST.
A Country of Silver Observation-Disclosures
OF Mining-Character of Ores and Tx.
pense of Transporting and Working
Them.

Written for The oregonian by Herbert Lang
Melnb of the American Institute Of
Mining Engineers
Wood River, which is exclusively
a mining region, and has come into
prominence entirely since 1880, has
in the past seven years yielded, ac-
cording to the most reliable data
which | can procure, no less than
sl3,OOO,O0O in silver and lead, and is
now producing at the rate of rather
more than 100000 per year, having
risen to this great sum by regularly
increasing outputs through six years.
Such is the extent of country, and
such the number of mines, that this
years output is likely to be exceeded
IN the next year as the last is by this
and future years may, and probably
will, see the product of Leadville ex-
ceeded by that of Wood River.
Wood River contains a great many
mines OF various degrees of import
ance. There are no Anacondas, no
Granite Mountains, no Ontarios, any
one of which would make a camp,
but which would require the utmost
resources of rich corporation 10
manage it. AS far as discovered, the
mines of Wood River are of mo g
moderate size and require far less
capital to handle them. 1t has been
well said that Wood River is a poor
mans camp. SO it is, if the term
applies to region where even a poor
man may have mine, and an exces
sively poor man may have two OIL
three. In my opinion it is no injury
to the miners because not many oil
the heavy mining corporations who
have operated in Wood River have
been able to find properties on which
large and permanent operations could
be carried on successfully and con
tinuously, for | think it far more ad-
vantagcous to mining region that a
miner Of small means, or a company
of such, can obtain and work ground
from which they can take a small
amount Of paying ore cheaply and at
profit. A hundred mines that pro-
duce ton of ore daily are of in
fnltel y more advantage than one that
produces one hundred tons, because
they benefit a more deserving and
useful class, and their aggregate daily
product is subject to less variation in
quantity.
The most encouraging and laudable
thing about Wood River mines is
that a large number Of them are
worked by poor men, who pay their
expenses from the sale of ore, and
while they maintain themselves and
develop their claims, they help sup
port the community and give dignity
to the trade Of mining. In this res
pect Wood River is almost without a
peer. AS said, Wood River is a
country Of many mines; 50 many, in
fact, that if any one ceases production
it does not matter in the aggregate.
The Queen of the Hills runs out of
ore, shuts down and lays off her men.
The Triumph at the same time lays
bare a wide and extensive ore body,
no less valuable than that the Queen
has Just exhausted. The vicissitudes
of mining thus Offset each other, and
the district in general feels no loss
Throughout the history Of the section
it has been the same. A sufficient
number of new discoveries are CON
,inually making, enough not only to
balance the unexpected deficiencies
encountered i'll opening mines, but to
increase the aggregate quantity III
sight. This is one Of the principal
advantages derived from small and
numerous ore bodies. Another and
very important advantage is that no
overmastering corporation can ever
take root, bringing an inevitable train
of Ills There is no Anaconda mine
or smelter to shut down, throwing
thousands of men out of employment
at the within Of skinhint corporation
nor can disputes as to the railway
tariff on salt ever fill the streets of
the Wood River towns with idle men,
In these respects, also, Wood River
has an advantage over even as great
a camp as Butte City.